Ok... lots of great posts lately about tols and sharpening and such... I have some burning questions...

1) I am going to go with your sandpaper sharpening clipboards, benz... so here's the dumb question. I haven't seen anywhere, do you sharpen the flat (bottom) side of the chisel, or the beveled (top) side?

2) Can you use a chainsaw to debark? I'm looking at the 18 6' logs I now have and my little draw knife seems really insignificant! If so, any tips?

3) Benz... can you write more about the reciprocating carver? Looks like a great idea.. and the detail you get is awesome! I'm assuming from the posts that you can buy the carver and use it with a dremel and later pick up a foredom motor? Or should I just pony up the $$ and forget getting a dremel, if the foredom motor will do everything and more that a dremel will?

Also, I saw a tunsten carbide sanding 4" wheel to fit on a angle grinder. Will these last a long time, so as to save buying lots of the sandpaper ones?

Ok... that's all today. Too sore from lugging all the logs around to write any more!

Hi Doubravsky, Sharpening is an art all by itself that we All should spend more time with.
1) you sharpen the bevel side of the chisel, but the flat side sometimes needs to be flattened too. Also as you go through the different grits, there will be a Bur edge created on the flat side that needs to be removed I usually sharpen the bevel edge and give the flat side a stroke or 2 on each grit.

2)Yes I use the chainsaw all the time to debark. Also I usually don't debark first. I jump right in on the carving because you will be removing big chunks of wood that has the bark on it and why debark sections that are going to be removed anyway???

3) The recrip carver for me is a Fantastic tool. The first time you use it, you will be grinning from ear to ear, it's that great. Your first use will bring to your mind a multitude of ways to make carving easier. It is one of those Magical tools. If you will be carving mostly large pieces I would go with Bigger versions, as the dremel/foredom versions are pretty wimpy for big stuff. It will work but it will die a very early death.
Auotomach makes a nice one: This is the one I want. It would be a nice X-mas present to me...
http://automach.com/pages/frame31/prod2-e.html

The foredom has a bit more power than the dremel and that is the only difference there..
And yes those carbide wheels come in various grits and will last a LONG time if cared for properly. It might be a good idea to get a "router speed control" to slow your grinder down. That will prevent the wood build-up from burning and clogging the teeth. Which, when that happens, you can burn it out with a hand torch and wire brush.

Good luck with all these questions and I hope this helps.
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